Battery pack including noise reduction member

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is A battery pack comprising: a pack housing; a base plate; at least two battery modules arranged such that the battery modules are located in a space defined between the pack housing and the base plate, each battery module including a plurality of battery cells or unit modules which can be charged and discharged; a first wall located at a first side of the base plate; a second wall located at a second side of the base plate; an external input terminal and an external output terminal are located at both of the first wall and the second wall, the battery modules being connected to the external input and output terminals in a state in which the battery modules are electrically connected in series or in parallel to each other; and a capacitor is present at the first or second wall adjacent to a corresponding one of the external input and output terminals, the capacitor being electrically connected to said corresponding one of the external input and output terminals.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of copending application Ser. No.15/304,288, filed on Oct. 14, 2016, which was filed as a National Phaseof PCT International Application No. PCT/KR2015/004614 on May 8, 2015,which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Patent ApplicationNo. 10-2014-0054569, filed in the Republic of Korea on May 8, 2014, allof which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the presentapplication.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a battery pack including a noisereduction member.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, a secondary battery, which can be charged anddischarged, has been widely used as an energy source for wireless mobiledevices. In addition, the secondary battery has attracted considerableattention as a power source for electric vehicles (EV) and hybridelectric vehicles (HEV), which have been developed to solve problems,such as air pollution, caused by existing gasoline and diesel vehiclesusing fossil fuels.

Small-sized mobile devices use one or several battery cells for eachdevice. On the other hand, middle or large-sized devices, such asvehicles, use a middle or large-sized battery pack having a plurality ofbattery cells electrically connected to one another because high outputand large capacity are necessary for the middle or large-sized devices.In order to provide output and capacity required by a predeterminedapparatus or device, a plurality of battery cells or battery modules maybe connected in series to each other.

In a case in which the above-described battery pack is mounted in aelectric vehicle in a state in which the battery pack is connected to aninverter, overall output of the battery pack may be unstable due tonoise generated from the inverter.

Specifically, a noise current occurs when the inverter converts analternating current from the battery pack to a direct current throughfast switching. The noise current affects an output terminal of anexternal input and output terminal by conduction through a power lineconnecting the inverter and the external input and output terminal ofthe battery pack, or by induction through electron induction orelectrostatic induction or etc. This deteriorates the stability of theoutput of the battery pack, in other words, the output fluctuates.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the aboveproblems, and other technical problems that have yet to be resolved.

Specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide abattery pack configured such that, in a case in which the battery packis used in a state in which the battery pack is mounted in a vehicle, itis possible to prevent the output of the battery pack from beinginterfered with due to noise generated from an inverter connected to thebattery pack, thereby improving stability in output of the battery pack,and it is possible to prevent a worker from being exposed to highvoltage during assembly or repair of the battery pack.

Technical Solution

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the above andother objects can be accomplished by the provision of a battery packcomprising:

a pack housing;

a base plate;

at least two battery modules arranged such that the battery modules arelocated in a space defined between the pack housing and the base plate,each battery module including a plurality of battery cells or unitmodules which can be charged and discharged;

a first wall located at a first side of the base plate;

a second wall located at a second side of the base plate;

an external input terminal and an external output terminal are locatedat both of the first wall and the second wall, the battery modules beingconnected to the external input and output terminals in a state in whichthe battery modules are electrically connected in series or in parallelto each other; and

a capacitor is present at the first or second wall adjacent to acorresponding one of the external input and output terminals, thecapacitor being electrically connected to said corresponding one of theexternal input and output terminals.

The capacitor may be grounded to the base plate via the first or secondwall.

The first wall may be a front outer wall and the first side may be afront of the base, and the second wall may be a rear outer wall and thesecond side may be a rear of the base.

The capacitor may be a typical capacitor that blocks a direct currentwhile allowing an alternating current. Accordingly, the capacitor mayreduce a noise current.

In the battery pack according to the present invention, as describedabove, the capacitors are electrically connected to the external inputand output terminals and are grounded to the base plate via the first orthe second walls. In a case in which the battery pack is used in a statein which the battery pack is mounted in a vehicle, therefore, it ispossible to prevent the output of the battery pack from being interferedwith due to noise generated from an inverter connected to the batterypack, thereby improving stability in output of the battery pack, and itis possible to prevent a worker from being exposed to high voltageduring assembly or repair of the battery pack.

A battery disconnect unit (BDU) may be mounted between the batterymodules and the rear outer wall and the battery modules may beelectrically connected to the external input and output terminals at therear outer wall via the BDU. Specifically, the battery modules may beelectrically connected to the BDU and the BDU may distribute electricitycollected from the battery modules to the external input and outputterminals located at the front outer wall and the rear outer wall.

The BDU may be electrically connected to the external input and outputterminals at the rear outer wall via bus bars or wires and thecapacitors may be electrically connected to the bus bars or the wires.

The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising anothercapacitor present at the other of the first or second wall adjacent to acorresponding another of the external input and output terminals, saidanother capacitor being electrically connected to said correspondinganother of the external input and output terminals.

In a concrete example of the present invention, a connector may beformed at an outside of the respective the first or the second wallssuch that the connector protrudes outward from the first or the secondwall, the corresponding external input and output terminal may protrudeinward from inside of the first or the second in a state in which theexternal input and output terminal is electrically connected to theconnector, a capacitor receiving part may be located at one side of eachof corresponding external input and output terminal, the capacitor maybe mounted in the capacitor receiving parts. The insides of the first orthe second walls mean sides of the first or the second walls located atthe interior of the battery pack in which the battery modules aremounted and the outsides of the first or the second walls mean sides ofthe first or the second walls located at the outside of the batterypack.

The capacitor receiving part may be mounted at the first or the secondwalls by bolts and nuts.

Specifically, the capacitor may include a first capacitor and a secondcapacitor, the first capacitor may be electrically connected to acathode terminal of the corresponding one of the external input andoutput terminals, and the second capacitor may be electrically connectedto an anode terminal of the corresponding one of the external input andoutput terminals.

The first capacitor and the second capacitor may be grounded in a statein which the first capacitor and the second capacitor are electricallyconnected to each other. In assembly of the battery pack, therefore, aprocess of grounding the capacitors to the base plate via the outerwalls may be simplified.

Specifically, the base plate may be provided with a conduction part, towhich the first capacitor and the second capacitor are grounded, and thefirst capacitor and the second capacitor may be grounded to a chassis ofa vehicle, in which the battery pack is mounted, via the conductionpart. The conduction part may be formed by not applying an insulativecoating to a portion of the base plate.

In a concrete example of the present invention, the battery pack mayfurther include a sensing assembly mounted at upper ends of the batterymodules to detect voltage of the battery modules, a pair of tension barsmounted at the upper ends of the battery modules, the tension barsextending in a direction in which the battery modules are arranged tosupport the battery modules, a pair of end plates mounted at outsides ofoutermost ones of the battery modules in a state in which the end platesare adjacent to the outsides of the outermost ones of the batterymodules, and a battery management system (BMS) mounted at one side ofone of the end plates, wherein the arranged battery modules may beloaded on the base plate and an outer edge of the pack housing may becoupled to the base plate and the front and rear outer walls in a statein which the pack housing surrounds the battery modules and the BMS.

Each of the battery cells may be configured to have a structure in whichan electrode assembly is mounted in a battery case made of a laminatesheet including a metal layer and a resin layer and an outer edge of thebattery case is sealed. The laminate sheet may include an outer resinlayer exhibiting high durability, a metal blocking layer, and a resinsealant layer exhibiting a high thermal bonding property. The resinsealant layer may be thermally bonded.

It is required for the outer resin layer to exhibit high resistanceagainst external environment. For this reason, it is necessary for theouter resin layer to exhibit more than predetermined tensile strengthand weather resistance. To this end, the outer resin layer may be madeof a polymer resin, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or orientednylon film. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

It is required for the metal blocking layer to have a function toimprove strength of the battery case in addition to a function toprevent introduction or leakage of foreign matter, such as gas ormoisture. To this end, the metal blocking layer may be made of, forexample, aluminum.

The resin sealant layer may be made of a polyolefin resin which exhibitsa high thermal bonding property (thermal adhesive property) and a lowhygroscopic property, which is necessary to restrain permeation of anelectrolyte, and is not expanded or is not corroded by the electrolyte.In a concrete example, resin sealant layer may be made of castpolypropylene (CPP).

Each of the battery cells may be mounted in a battery cartridgeconfigured to have a frame structure. In a concrete example, thecartridge may include at least a pair of plate-shaped frames to fix anouter edge of a corresponding battery cell in a state in which at leastone of opposite main surfaces of battery cell is exposed.

The battery pack may further include a middle plate mounted between theinnermost ones of the battery modules.

Specifically, in a case in which the battery pack according to thepresent invention is mounted in any one selected from among an electricvehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, and a plug-in hybrid electricvehicle, the battery pack may be located in a space defined between adriver's seat and a seat next to the driver's seat. As a result, thebattery pack may be mounted through a side crash beam of the vehicle inwhich the battery pack is mounted. In order to support the cut sidecrash beam, a middle plate including a crash beam abutting on the sidecrash beam may be mounted in the battery pack.

Each of the battery modules may be configured to have a rectangularstructure and the battery modules may be loaded on the base plate suchthat the battery modules laterally abut each other in a state in whichthe battery modules are erected such that electrode terminals face topsof the battery modules.

Specifically, each of the battery modules may be configured to have astructure in which a height of each of the battery modules is greaterthan a width of each of the battery modules in the erected state. Thewidth of each of the battery modules, i.e. the length of each of thebattery modules in a direction in which the battery cells are arrangedsuch that the battery cells are joined to each other at an interfacebetween the respective battery cells, may be equivalent to 50% to 80%the height of each of the battery modules.

In addition, the battery pack may further include a top spacer disposedin a space defined between an inner surface of the pack housing andouter surfaces of the battery modules to restrain motion of upper endparts of the battery modules.

Specifically, each of the capacitors may have an allowable voltage of 0to 1000 V DC. If the voltage of each of the capacitors is higher than1000 V DC, it is not possible to properly remove noise generated fromthe inverter.

Each of the battery cells may be a lithium secondary battery.Specifically, each of the battery cells may be a lithium ion battery ora lithium ion polymer battery.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a device including the battery pack with the above-statedconstruction as a power source.

Specifically, the device may be any one selected from a group consistingof a mobile phone, a portable computer, a smart phone, a tablet PC, asmart pad, a netbook computer, a light electronic vehicle (LEV), anelectric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electricvehicle, and a power storage device.

The structure and manufacturing method of the device are well known inthe art to which the present invention pertains and, therefore, adetailed description thereof will be omitted.

Effects of the Invention

As is apparent from the above description, in the battery pack accordingto the present invention, the capacitors are electrically connected tothe external input and output terminals and are grounded to the baseplate via the front and rear outer walls. In a case in which the batterypack is used in a state in which the battery pack is mounted in avehicle, therefore, it is possible to prevent the output of the batterypack from being interfered with due to noise generated from an inverterconnected to the battery pack, thereby improving stability in output ofthe battery pack, and it is possible to prevent a worker from beingexposed to high voltage during assembly or repair of the battery pack.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of thepresent invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a battery module according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the battery module of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a battery module and a hold downbracket according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a battery pack according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the battery pack from which a packhousing of FIG. 4 is removed;

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the battery pack of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a rear outer wall of the battery pack ofFIG. 4 when viewed from the inside of the battery pack;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the rear outer wall of the batterypack of

FIG. 4; and

FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram showing a battery pack according to anembodiment of the present invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Now, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted,however, that the scope of the present invention is not limited by theillustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a battery module according to anembodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded view of thebattery module of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing abattery module and a hold down bracket according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a battery module 110 includes a batterycell 10, a cartridge 20, a cooling member 30, a buffer member 40, aninsulation member 50, an end plate 60, a bus bar assembly 80, and acooling manifold 90.

The battery cell 10 is configured to have a structure in which anelectrode assembly is mounted in a battery case made of a laminate sheetincluding a metal layer and a resin layer and an outer edge of thebattery case is sealed. And the battery cell 10 is provided with apositive electrode terminal 11 and a negative electrode terminal 12being formed on the one side in a collinear state.

The central portion of the cartridge 20 is provided with a battery cellreceiving part 22 to mount the battery cells 10, and two battery cells10 are mounted to a front side and a back side, respectively, of thebattery cell receiving part 22 in a state in which the cooling member 30is disposed between the two battery cells 10.

A plurality of the cartridge 20 in which the battery cells 10 and thecooling member 30 are mounted are arranged such that the battery cells10 laterally abut each other. The buffer member 40 is mounted to theoutermost battery cells 10. The insulation member 50 is added to thebuffer member 40. Finally, the end plate 60 is mounted on the insulationmember 50.

The cartridge 20, the insulation member 50, and the endplate 60 areprovided with coupling holes 21, 51, 61 at their four corners,respectively. The cartridge 20, the insulation member 50, and theendplate 60 constituting the battery module 110 are configured to have astructure in which each of coupling bolt 70 is inserted through thecoupling holes 21, 51, 61, and then the cartridge 20, the insulationmember 50, and the endplate 60 are coupled and fixed.

The sensing assembly 80 is mounted on the upper of the battery cells 10connected as described above. The sensing assembly 80 connects thebattery cells 10 in series and/or parallel and, performs a function inwhich an electric flow cuts off in case of a malfunction of the batterymodule 110, by detecting voltage of the battery cells 10 and havingsafety elements.

The cooling manifold 90 is mounted to the lower part of the battery cell10. The cooling manifold 90 is connected to the cooling conduit 31 ofthe cooling members 30, and make a coolant flow through the coolingconduit 31.

Referring to FIG. 3, a plurality of the battery modules 110 are mountedon the base plate 120 such that the battery modules 110 laterally abuteach other, and fixed by the hold down bracket 180 as a fixing member.Specifically, the hold down bracket 180 presses the lower protrudingpart 111 (FIG. 1) of the battery module 110. The hold down bracket 110is configured to be fixed to the base plate 120 by using bolts and nuts.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a battery pack according to anembodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a perspective viewshowing the battery pack from which a pack housing of FIG. 4 is removed,FIG. 6 is a side view showing the battery pack of FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is afront view showing a rear outer wall of the battery pack of FIG. 4 whenviewed from the inside of the battery pack, and FIG. 8 is a perspectiveview showing the rear outer wall of the battery pack of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a battery pack 100 includes a plurality ofbattery modules 110, a base plate 120, a sensing assembly (not shown),tension bars (not shown), a front outer wall 130, a rear outer wall 140,a battery management system (BMS) 150, a battery disconnect unit (BDU)190, a pack housing 160, and a top spacer 170.

The battery modules 110 are arranged on the base plate 120 in a state inwhich the battery modules 110 laterally abut on each other. A middleplate 101 is mounted at the middle of the battery modules 110.

The front outer wall 130 and the rear outer wall 140 are located at thefront and the rear of the base plate 120, respectively. The front outerwall 130 and the rear outer wall 140 are provided with external inputand output terminals 131 and 141, respectively.

The battery modules 110 are connected to the BDU 190 in a state in whichthe battery modules 110 are electrically connected in series or inparallel to each other. The BDU 190 is electrically connected to theexternal input and output terminals 131 and 141 formed at the frontouter wall 130 and the rear outer wall 140, respectively, via bus bars.

The sensing assembly is mounted at the upper ends of the battery modules110 for sensing voltage of the battery modules 110. At opposite ends ofthe sensing assembly, the tension bars are mounted at the upper ends ofthe battery modules 110 in a direction in which the battery modules 110are arranged for supporting the battery modules 110.

The BMS 150 is mounted at the outside of the outermost one of thebattery modules 110 in a state in which the BMS 150 is adjacent to theoutermost one of the battery modules 110. The lower end of the packhousing 160 is coupled to the base plate 120 in a state in which thepack housing 160 surrounds the battery modules 110 and the BMS 150. Thepack housing 160 and the base plate 120 are coupled to each other bybolts and nuts (not shown).

The top spacer 170 is disposed in a space defined between the innersurface of the pack housing 160 and the upper end surfaces of thebattery modules 110.

Each of the battery modules 110 is configured to have a rectangularstructure. A height H of each of the battery modules 110 is greater thana width W of each of the battery modules 110. Specifically, the W ofeach of the battery modules 110 is equivalent to about 60% the height Hof each of the battery modules 110.

A connector 142 is formed at the outside of the rear outer wall 140 suchthat the connector 142 protrudes outward from the rear outer wall 140.The external input and output terminal 141 protrudes inward from theinside of the rear outer wall 140 in a state in which the external inputand output terminal 141 is electrically connected to the connector 142.A capacitor receiving part 143 is located at one side of the externalinput and output terminal 141. A first capacitor 144 and a secondcapacitor 145 are mounted in the capacitor receiving part 143.

The first capacitor 144 is electrically connected to a cathode terminal146 of the external input and output terminal 141 and the secondcapacitor 145 is electrically connected to an anode terminal 147 of theexternal input and output terminal 141.

The first capacitor 144 and the second capacitor 145 are grounded to thebase plate 120 via the rear outer wall 140 in a state in which the firstcapacitor 144 and the second capacitor 145 are electrically connected toeach other. In addition, the first capacitor 144 and the secondcapacitor 145 are grounded to a chassis of a vehicle (not shown), inwhich the battery pack is mounted, via a conduction part (not shown)formed at the base plate 120.

FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram showing a battery pack according to anembodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, the noise (indicated as a dotted line with anarrowhead) generated from the inverter 200 connected to the externalinput and output terminal 141 affects the stability of the output of thebattery pack since the noise is transmitted to the output terminal ofthe external input and output terminal through a power line, or electroninduction or electrostatic induction or etc.

To address the aforementioned technical problem, Y-capacitor has astructure in which the first capacitor 144 is connected to the positiveelectrode 146 of the external input and output terminal 141 and isgrounded to the base plate 120 and the second capacitor 145 is connectedto the negative electrode 147 of the external input and output terminal141 and is grounded to the base plate 120.

Since the Y-capacitor blocks a direct current while allowing analternating current, the Y-capacitor causes the noise generated from theinverter to flow to the base plate grounded, and the noise flows to thechassis (not shown) being grounded to the base plate 120.

As aforementioned above, in the battery pack according to the presentinvention, the Y-capacitors are electrically connected to the externalinput and output terminals and are grounded to the base plate and thechassis. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the output of the batterypack from being interfered with due to noise generated from the inverterconnected to the battery pack, thereby improving stability in output ofthe battery pack, and it is possible to prevent a worker from beingexposed to high voltage during assembly or repair of the battery pack.

Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have beendisclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas disclosed in the accompanying claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A battery pack comprising: a pack housing;a base plate; at least two battery modules arranged such that thebattery modules are located in a space defined between the pack housingand the base plate, each battery module including a plurality of batterycells or unit modules which can be charged and discharged; a first walllocated at a first side of the base plate; a second wall located at asecond side of the base plate; a first external input and outputterminal located at the second wall for allowing an electricalconnection through the second wall, the battery modules being connectedto the first external input and output terminal in a state in which thebattery modules are electrically connected in series or in parallel toeach other; and a capacitor at the second wall adjacent to the firstexternal input and output terminal, the capacitor being electricallyconnected to the first external input and output terminal and a ground,wherein the capacitor comprises a first capacitor and a secondcapacitor, the first capacitor is electrically connected to a cathodeterminal of the first external input and output terminal, and the secondcapacitor is electrically connected to an anode terminal of the firstexternal input and output terminal, and wherein the base plate isprovided with a conduction part, to which the first capacitor and thesecond capacitor are grounded, and the first capacitor and the secondcapacitor are grounded to a chassis of a vehicle, in which the batterypack is mounted, via the conduction part.
 2. The battery pack accordingto claim 1, wherein the capacitor is grounded to the base plate via thesecond wall.
 3. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the firstwall is a front outer wall and the first side is a front of the base,and wherein the second wall is a rear outer wall and the second side isa rear of the base.
 4. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein abattery disconnect unit (BDU) is mounted between the battery modules andthe second wall, and the battery modules are electrically connected tothe first external input and output terminal at the second wall via theBDU.
 5. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein the BDU iselectrically connected to the first external input and output terminalat the rear outer wall via bus bars or wires.
 6. The battery packaccording to claim 5, wherein the capacitor is electrically connected tothe bus bars or the wires.
 7. The battery pack according to claim 1,further comprising a third capacitor present at the first wall adjacentto a second external input and output terminal, said third capacitorbeing electrically connected to the second external input and outputterminal.
 8. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein a connectoris formed at an outside of the second wall such that the connectorprotrudes outward from the second wall, wherein the first external inputand output terminal protrudes inward from the inside of the second wallin a state in which the first external input and output terminal iselectrically connected to the connector, and wherein a capacitorreceiving part is located at one side of the first external input andoutput terminal, and the capacitor is mounted in the capacitor receivingparts.
 9. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein the capacitorreceiving part is mounted at the second wall by bolts and nuts.
 10. Thebattery pack according to claim 1, wherein the first capacitor and thesecond capacitor are grounded in a state in which the first capacitorand the second capacitor are electrically connected to each other. 11.The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising: a sensingassembly mounted at upper ends of the battery modules to detect voltageof the battery modules; a pair of tension bars mounted at the upper endsof the battery modules, the tension bars extending in a direction inwhich the battery modules are arranged to support the battery modules; apair of end plates mounted at outsides of outermost ones of the batterymodules in a state in which the end plates are adjacent to the outsidesof the outermost ones of the battery modules; and a battery managementsystem (BMS) mounted at one side of one of the end plates, wherein thearranged battery modules are loaded on the base plate, and an outer edgeof the pack housing is coupled to the base plate and the front and rearouter walls in a state in which the pack housing surrounds the batterymodules and the BMS.
 12. The battery pack according to claim 1, whereineach of the battery cells is configured to have a structure in which anelectrode assembly is mounted in a battery case made of a laminate sheetcomprising a metal layer and a resin layer and an outer edge of thebattery case is sealed.
 13. The battery pack according to claim 1,wherein each of the battery cells is mounted in a battery cartridge. 14.The battery pack according to claim 13, wherein the cartridge comprisesat least a pair of plate-shaped frames to fix an outer edge of acorresponding battery cell in a state in which at least one of oppositemain surfaces of the corresponding battery cell is exposed.
 15. Thebattery pack according to claim 1, further comprising a middle platemounted between innermost ones of the battery modules.
 16. The batterypack according to claim 1, wherein each of the battery modules isconfigured to have a rectangular structure, and the battery modules areloaded on the base plate such that the battery modules laterally abuteach other in a state in which the battery modules are erected such thatelectrode terminals face tops of the battery modules.
 17. The batterypack according to claim 16, wherein each of the battery modules isconfigured to have a structure in which a height of each of the batterymodules is greater than a width of each of the battery modules in theerected state.
 18. The battery pack according to claim 1, furthercomprising a top spacer disposed in a space defined between an innersurface of the pack housing and outer surfaces of the battery modules torestrain motion of upper end parts of the battery modules.
 19. Thebattery pack according to claim 1, wherein each of the capacitors has anallowable voltage of 0 to 1000 V DC.
 20. The battery pack according toclaim 1, wherein each of the battery cells is a lithium secondarybattery.
 21. A device comprising a battery pack according to claim 1 asa power source.